Ultrahigh-Q Resonance in Bound States in the Continuum-Enabled Plasmonic Terahertz Metasurface

The study of optical resonators is of significant importance in terms of their ability to confine light in optical devices. A major drawback of optical resonators is the phenomenon of light emission due to their limited capacity for light confinement. Bound states in the continuum are gaining significant attention in the realization of optical devices due to their unique ability for reducing light scattering via interference mechanisms. This process can potentially suppress scattering, leading to improved optical performance. Using this concept, a metasurface having two elliptical silicon (Si) resonators nonidentically angled to create an out-of-plane asymmetry is studied. Various parameters are optimized by employing a genetic algorithm (GA) to subsequently achieve a high-Q factor at terahertz frequencies. Herein, the device is fabricated using a novel method, and a thick high-index resonator is achieved. Terahertz measurements are carried out to validate the results. It is indicated in the experimental results that plasmons appear at the top surface of the metasurface and create strong sharp resonances that are sensitive to the external environment. Owing to strong field confinement ability, and high-Q factor, the metasurface is sensitive to its surrounding environment and can be essentially employed in terahertz sensing applications.

Automated summary

The study focuses on the optical resonators which are important for confining light in optical devices. However, the limited light confinement capacity leads to light emission which is a major drawback of these resonators. Researchers investigate the use of bound states in the continuum to reduce light scattering and improve optical performance. They design a metasurface with two elliptical silicon resonators to achieve high-Q factor at terahertz frequencies. The experimental results show that the metasurface is sensitive to the external environment and can be used for terahertz sensing applications.